Annual Awards: Buster & Nancy D. Alvord, and Alvin J. Thompson

Each year, during our Thanks Research Gala, NWABR presents two major awards to honor the outstanding scientists and science advocates in our region. Awardees are typically individuals but can also be teams whose excellence cannot be parsed. Candidates are selected through a call for nominations to the NWABR member community, with nominations being due by April 1 each year.

General elgibility and exclusions

Award recipients should have made an impact on the Northwest, but are not required to solely impact this region. Membership in NWABR is not an eligibility requirement for the awards offered by NWABR, but recipients should have a connection to the Pacific Northwest Research Community. Award recipients or a representative of the recipients should be able to attend the award ceremony in person or via webcast. Current members of the NWABR Board of Directors or staff cannot receive these awards. 

 view nomination form

Eligibility for Buster & Nancy D. Alvord Award

Nominees shall be known for their general philanthropic impact on research in the Northwest. Nominees shall be strong advocates, educators, philanthropists or donors for the local biomedical community. Individuals should have an affiliation with the NWABR membership community.

Eligibility for the Alvin J. Thompson Award

Nominees shall have achieved high standing in the life science research community. Nominees should be known for or engaged in cutting edge research, and must demonstrate a commitment to ethical research practices and the advancement of public trust in research. Individuals should have an affiliation with the NWABR membership community.

• As a scientist: Evidence of superior teaching; contributions to improvements in biomedical science education; high intellectual achievements; effective counseling of students; recognition of colleagues and students; productive collaborations with industry, government or other disciplines, and so on.
• As a researcher: Evidence of outstanding research ability; recognition for contributions to the advancement of knowledge; introduction of new and improved laboratory techniques and instrumentation; authorship of influential papers, reports and books; acceptance of research results by colleagues in industry, and so on.

Nominations

view nomination form

Nomination deadline for the receipt of award nominations is April 1 each year.

In general, all award nominations must be delivered to NWABR by completing an award submission form. If a Nominator does not have the time or resources to complete a nomination form, NWABR staff may be able to assist. Nominations may include a CV, but should not include journals, posters, abstracts or other documentation, e.g., recommendations. Clear, concise statements of achievements are preferred.

Confirming Awardees. After the awards nomination deadline, nominations are compiled by NWABR staff, and delivered to the NWABR Board. A rubric will be used to score candidates and such scores will be selected independently before a meeting of the committee that selects the final awardee. Candidates are given a deadline to confirm their acceptance of the award. If awards are declined, the Board shall designate a second nominee to accept the award.

Award Presentation. All award presentations are made at the NWABR Annual Thanks Research Gala. Upon notification of selection, the awardees must agree to participate in person or virtually at NWABR’s Gala. Otherwise, the award will be given to the next highest candidate who agrees to attend. Exceptions will be made for emergency situations, and video conferencing will be offered to each awardee.

View Previous Award Winners